Peter James and the Norfolk Ramblers take us on a walk at the edge of the city of Norwich
1. From the car park take the path to the left, following to a bridge which bears right. Follow the path under the bypass, turn left over the bridge then turn right to follow the river bank. Follow the river for ¾ mile; you will come to a sign for the dog swimming area. Just after this you turn left and follow the boardwalk, which will bring you to the end of the UEA lake bear left follow the path with the lake on your left keeping an eye on the lefthand side where there is a sculpture of the Man of Stones. After a while you will come to the bridge over the River Yare.
If doing the short walk carry straight on around the end of the lake to point (4)
2. Go over the bridge; following the path uphill you will come to a junction of paths. Take the path going diagonally uphill to just before the road. Turn right; with the hedge on your left follow this to where the track turns right. passing the compost area keep following the track with the sports fields on your right. At the gate pass beside it, then bear right going diagonally to re-join the track before the bridge. Pass over the bridge, taking the steps down to the riverbank. Follow the river as it winds its way towards Earlham Park. Just before the road there is a great area where children swim in the summer.
3. Turn back on yourself and head towards the café at the top of the park. From the café bear slightly right, heading between the large trees, then follow the cut path down to the woods which brings you back into the UEA grounds. Follow the marker posts through the woods up a slight bank; turn left, follow the path to the track at the end on the lake.
4. Turn left then right following the lake on your right and the sculptures on your left with the Sainsbury Centre above them. Keep following the lake to the end. At the track turn right then left to follow the path which passes below the horse paddocks to an open meadow where, on the right, you can see the path you came in on. The meadow has many routes over it but you are heading for the far top corner the kissing gate. (If you do not wish to go through the village and visit the church, you can leave by the bottom corner which will take you to the river; turn left back to the car park.)
5. Go through the kissing gate, turn right, follow the pavement. Passing under the bypass, cross the road. Go straight on past the front of Waitrose to Church Lane on your right; this takes you to the thatched church of St Andrews; once you have visited the church you come out onto a path beside the supermarket car park. Turn left over the bridge, follow the path to a second bridge and follow the path uphill towards the road through the kissing gate. Cross the road to take you back to the car park.
COMPASS POINTS
Main walk 5.5 miles, 8.7km
Short walk 3.25 miles, 5.5km
Start from the small car park on the right just before the bridge
Grid Reference TG 2006 0606
Nearest postcode NR4 7LD
What3Words ///month.filer.frozen
This walk can easily be reached by bus which stops just up the road from the start.
POINTS OF INTEREST
Sainsbury Centre
The Sainsbury Centre is one of the most prominent university art galleries in Britain and a major national centre for the study and display of art. Built over 40 years ago, it is home to the extraordinary art collection of Robert and Lisa Sainsbury, the Anderson Collection of Art Nouveau and the University’s Abstract and Constructivist Collection.
Alongside these permanent collections, it hosts a range of temporary exhibitions, with new galleries providing a superb climate-controlled exhibition space which has featured shows including the recent Visions of Ancient Egypt. Film-goers from around the world will have seen the building used in the big-budget Avengers productions.
St Andrews Church
The nave and chancel of this, the only church in Norwich with a thatched roof, were consecrated in the 13th century. The walls are mainly local flint, held together with lime mortar. Particular points of interest are the font, the consecration crosses, the piscina and wall paintings.
